Plan of the Capitol, No. 1. United States Capitol drawing competition, by Charles Wintersmith, ink and watercolor washes on paper, 1792

A competition to design the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., elicited 18 proposals. Of all the designs submitted for the president’s consideration, the one by Charles Wintersmith is perhaps the least appealing. The exterior has no architectural aspirations or interest, and the interior plan is inconveniently laid out with cramped stairs and few corridors. Designs such as these document the state of the architectural profession in America at the end of the 18th century.

Image ID# 1976.88.42, Courtesy of the Maryland Historical Society